India said on Wednesday it has sought an update from Russian authorities on the whereabouts of 69 Indian nationals still serving with the Russian armed forces, even as it reiterated the “grave danger” of taking up offers of military jobs against the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine.
Reports of Indians being inducted into the Russian Army continue to emerge despite Moscow saying it has halted such recruitment. The issue continues to be one of the rare irritants in the otherwise robust India-Russia relations, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has personally raised the matter at several meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin. External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a regular media briefing that a total of 259 Indian nationals are believed to have been recruited into the Russian armed forces so far, and India has pressed Russian authorities for their release. “We are following up with the Russian authorities for updates on the whereabouts of 69 Indian nationals who are reportedly with the Russian Army. Misri had said 227 Indians had been recruited into the Russian armed forces and 51 had been killed. Despite India’s repeated reminders and advisories on the issue over the past two years, including the latest one dated September 30, there continue to be reports of Indian nationals joining the Russian armed forces.
Fifty-one Indians, including men who were fraudulently lured into accepting jobs in the Russian Army, have died so far while serving on the frontlines of the conflict in Ukraine, according to information provided by authorities in the past. “Of these, through our efforts, so far 139 Indian nationals have seen early discharge from the Russian Army,” Jaiswal said. Jaiswal emphasised the “grave danger” of taking up jobs in the Russian military and said: “I once again want to urge that Indian nationals must stay away from offers being made to join the Russian Army. “This is obviously a matter of deep concern,” he said.
The figures provided by Jaiswal on Wednesday were higher than numbers provided by foreign secretary Vikram Misri after a meeting between Modi and Putin in Kyrgyzstan in August.
